Actuator for hermetically sealed mechanism



Sept. 20, 1955 T. B. TAYLOR 2,718,575

ACTUATOR FOR HERMETICALLY SEALED MECHANISM Filed Feb. '7, 1952 2 Shee'ns-Shee'I l Sept. 20, 1955 T. B. TAYLoR ACTUATOR FOR HERMETICALLY SEALED MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. '7, 1952 J, MTM wwwV a im rw United States Patent O ACTUATOR FOR HERMETICALLY SEALED MECHANISM Tracy B. Taylor, South Orange, N. J., assignor to Federal Electric Products Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application February 7, 1952, Serial No. 270,297

12 Claims. (Cl. 200-168) This invention relates to an actuator for a hermetically sealed mechanism.

One object of the present invention is the provision of an actuator for a hermetically sealed mechanism in which there is provided improved means for hermetically sealing the mechanism.

'Another object of the present invention is the provision of an actuator for hermeticaly sealed mechanism in which the sealing means thereof is effective to hermetically seal the mechanism in its associated casing without a direct seal between the relatively movable parts.

i Another object of the present invention is the provision of an actuator for a hermetically sealed mechanism disposed in a casing, which actuator at all times reflects -the position of the parts of the mechanism in the casing.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a generally improved actuator for ahermetically sealed mechanism which is of simple construction having relatively few movable parts, and in which the sealing means therefor inherently has a very long life.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with 'the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an actuator for a hermetically sealed mechanism according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of the upper portion of Fig. 1 with parts shown in section and broken away;

Fig. 3 is a Vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing 'the actuator parts in another position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the actuator parts shown in disassembled relationship.

Referring to the drawings, the actuator 10 for a hermetically sealed mechanism comprises a rigid casing 12 having a projecting neck 14, front and rear walls 16 and 18, respectively, side walls 20, a top wall 22 and a mounting plate 24 which forms the bottom wall of casing 12. Positioned in the casing 12 is any mechanism 26 to be hermetically sealed in the casing, which mechanism is adapted to be operatively associated with the actuator mechanism about to be described. Such mechanism positioned in casing 12 may be any circuit breaker and in the illustrative embodiment shown in Fig. 1, such circuit breaker 26 is of the type illustrated and described in application Serial No. 234,303, filed June 29, 1951, in the name of Thomas M. Cole and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The circuit breaker ICC 26 is provided with a pair of spaced yokes 28, 28 having a shaft 31 transversely extending therebetween and secured to said yokes in any suitable manner. It will be readily apparent that movement of shaft 31 and its associated yokes 28 will be eifective to operatively move and control the circuit breaker 26 whereby the actuation of shaft 31 will be effective to correspondingly actuate its associated circuit breaker.

The actuating mechanism comprises an Operating handle 30, a lever 32 and a support element or bracket 34 which are positioned relative to casing 12 in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter. The neck portion 14 has an aperture 36 extending therethrough and the Operating handle 30 eXtends externally of the casing 12 into the neck portion 14. Positioned in the neck portion 14 is a support element 34 which has a cylindrical portion 38 which is secured to the upper part 40 of neck portion 14 in any suitable manner. As best shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the neck portion 14 is adapted to receive the cylindrical portion 38 of element 34 in tightly securedv relation and for this purpose neck portion 14 is provided with an annular groove 41 in which is secured portion 38 of element 34 by means of retainer part 43 which abuts adjacent face portions of said portion 38. The support element 34 is also provided with a pair of spaced projecting legs 44, 44 which are adapted to pivotally mount the lever 32. The legs 44, 44 are apertured at 46 for the reception of pivot pin 48 which extends through the aligned apertures 46 and also -through the aperture 50 through the lower portion 52 of Operating handle 30 when the latter is assembled to element 34. Thus the lower portion 52 of Operating handle 30 is adapted to be positioned between the spaced legs 44, 44 of support element 34 and is pivotally mounted relative to said legs by means of the pivot pin 48 which extends through the apertures 46 and 50.

The lever 32 is also pivotally mounted to the legs 44, 44 and for this purpose said legs are apertured at the lower portion thereof with a pair of aligned apertures 54, 54. The lever 32 is apertured at an intermediate portion 56 and pivot pin 58 is adapted lto be received in the apertures 54, 54 of legs 44, 44 and aperture 56 of lever 32 to pivotally mount said lever to the support element 34. The upper end of the lever 32 is provided with an elongated slot 60 which is adapted to receive pin 62 when the latter is positioned in aligned apertures 64 at the forked end 66 of the Operating handle 30. Thus lever 32 is floatingly pivotally mounted to the forked end 66 of the Operating handle 30 by means of pin 62 which is.

received in the aligned apertures 64, 64 of said operating handle and the elongated slot 60 at the of the lever 32, as shown in the drawings.

The cylindrical portion 38, of the support element 34, is apertured at 68 and the opposite internal faces 70 'of said cylindrical portion are mutually inclined to provide abutments for adjacent portions of the side faces of the Operating handle 30. The Operating handle 30 is adapted to be manually pivoted between the extreme positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, and the inclined faces 70 of the cylindrical portion 38 provide stops or abutments for Operating handle 30 at said extreme positions. It will be readily apparent from the above that the pivotal movement of the Operating handle 30 will be effective to correspondingly move lever 32 in the same' direction due to the pivotal connections above described. It will be understood that any predetermined range of pivotal movement of handle 30 may be had, as desired, and further mechanism 26 disposed in casing 12 may be such to require distinct intermediate positions of handle 30 between the extreme limits of pivotal movement, in which case said handle will have corresponding inter'- mediate positions. Thus the means for actuating mechupper end anism 26 has a part disposed externally of casing 12 in the form of a handle 30 and a part disposed internally of said casing in the form of lever 32.

If desired, the lever 32 may have its end portion 74 forked to provide a pair of spaced legs 76 defining an opening 78 therebetween. The lever 32 may be operatively associated with shaft 31 of the circuit breaker 26 by positioning said shaft in the opening 78 between the spaced legs 76. With lever 32 operatively associated with circuit breaker 26 in this manner the movement of the handle 30 will be effective to correspondingly move the Operating mechanism of the circuit breaker 26 in the direction of movement of said Operating handle. Thus lever 32 is pivotally movable in response to the movement of the Operating handle 30 and accordingly shaft 31 will be movable in response to the movement of lever 32.

The neck portion 14 of the casing 12 may be formed integral with top wall 22 of said casing, or, if desired, said neck portion may be formed as a separate part and secured to wall 22 in any conventional manner as by brazing, silver soldering and the like. The neck portion 14 lis provided with an integral annular shoulder 80 which is adapted for a purpose to be described. It will be noted that part 14 of the casing carries the lever 32, the bracket 34, the handle 30 and the bellows 82 as a unit and that all of said parts may be first assembled with each other and thereafter secured as a unit to the casing 12 at the opening through which bellows 82 and lever 32 extend.

In order to hermetically seal the circuit breaker 26 o'r 'any mechanism disposed in casing 12 there is provided sealing means comprising a flexible resilient tubular member 82 of bellows-like construction having one perpheral end portion 84 secured to the lower face S6 of annular shoulder 80 in any suitable manner, for example, brazing, silver soldering and the like. The perpheral end portion 88 of the tubular member 82 is secured to a circular plate 90 which is apertured at 92. Lever 32 of the actuator extends through aperture 92 of plate 90 and is secured thereto in sealing relation in any conventional manner. It will be understood that the perpheral end portion 84 of the tubular member or bellows 82 is secured to the annular shoulder 80 in sealing relation therewith and similarly the plate 90 is secured to the perpheral end portion 88 of the member 82 and adjacent portions of lever 32 in sealing relation whereby circuit breaker 26, or any mechanism 26 disposed internally of casing 12, is hermetically sealed in such casing. The flexible tubular member 82 may be of any desired configuration and in thepreferred embodiment said member comprises a length of seamless corrugated fiexible tubing of the open pitch type which may be flexed through a large number of cycles without materially afecting or rupturing the tube. It is to be understood, however, that such member 82 may be of any type of flexible resilient tubing and may be of any suitable material whereby the circuit breaker 26 may be efiectively actuated and yet remain hermetically sealed.

v In lthe actuation of the circuit breaker 26 the movement of Operating handle 30 will be effective to correspondingly move the member 82 but the latter will have its walls flexed a relatively small amount due to its inherent structural characteristics. In the movement of the Operating handle 30 member 82 will be moved a relatively small amount by reason of the manner of pivotal connection of lever 32 vto the handle 30 and said member will have no material effect on the normal operation of handle 30 and its associated mechanism linking said handle with shaft 31 associated with circuit breaker 26. It is also to .be noted that the movement of handle 30 will be efiective to move shaft 31 of the circuit breaker 26 in the same direction and by a corresponding amount whereby the position of the handle 30 will at all times refiect the position of the parts of the circuit breaker mechanism 26 disposed in casing 12. The member 82, having a corrugated wall construction of the open pitch;

type, will have relatively little movernent on the actuation of handle 30 between its extreme positions, thereby minimizing the possibility of rupturing member 82 due to reversals of stress and strain.

Circuit breaker 26 may be mounted on mounting plate 24 in which case said circuit breaker may be readily inserted into casing 12 and readily removed therefrom due to the readily detachable connection between shaft 31 of said circuit breaker and the forked end 74 of lever 32 of the actuating mechanism. Mounting plate 24 is provided with spaced insulating grommets 94 which have terminals 96 extending therethrough. The insulating grommets 94 will thus be effective to insulate terminals 96 from casing 12 when the mounting plate 24 is secured to said casing. The mounting plate 24 and its terminals 96 are secured to the casing 12 in sealing relation therewith in order to hermetically seal circuit breaker 26 in casing 12. The neck portion 14 of casing 12, which may be cylindrical in Shape, is externally threaded at 98 for the reception of a complementary threaded retaining nut (not shown). Thus if it is desired to secure the casing 12 to a panelboard or any wall structure, it is merely necessary to insert the threaded neck portion 14 of casing 12 through a suitable aperture in such wall structure and screw said retaining nut on said threaded neck portion to secure the casing 12 to said supporting wall. If desired, the neck portion 14 of casing 12 may have an annular shoulder 100 adjacent to the top wall 22 iu order to provide a supporting shoulder to relieve the casing of strain when the casing is secured to complementary wall structure with the latter clamped between said shoulder and the afore-referred to retaining nut. It will also be understood that the neck portion 14 may be of any desired shape and may be secured to any complementary structure in any desired manner.

It will be seen from the above that the above described sealing means is effective to hermetically seal any mechanism 26 disposed in casing 12 without any direct seal between the relatively moving parts of the actuator, namely the Operating handle 30 and its associated lever 32. As indicated above, the Operating handle 30 at all times reects the position of the parts of mechanism 26 disposed in the casing. The actuator is of very simple construction having but two movable parts, namely handle 30 and lever 32 and the sealing means therefor, namely member 82, inherently has a very long life due to its manner of integration with the actuator. v

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 4

1. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a partv disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said' casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fiuid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said fiexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts' of said actuating means' having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, and means for supporting said actuating means and bellows as a unit on said casing comprising a bracket secured to said part of said casing and provided with spaced portions on which said parts of the actuating mechanism are pivotally4 mounted, respectively.

In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising fleXibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and With said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said fiexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, said part of the casing carrying said actuating mechanism and said bellows being attachable as a unit to the casing at said opening and all of said parts of the unit being attachable to each other in operative relation before said unit is attached to the casing.

3. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed eXternally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fiuid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said fiexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said casing part having a bracket secured therein and provided with spaced portions on which said parts of the actuating mechanism are pivotally mounted, respectively, said part of the casing together with said bracket, said actuating mechanism and said bellows being attachable as a unit to the casing at said opening and all of said parts of the unit being attachable to each other in operative relation before said unit is attached to the casing.

4. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising fiexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said fleXibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, said casing part having a bracket secured therein and provided with spaced portions on which said parts of the actuating mechanism are pivotally mounted, respectively, said part of the casing together With said bracket, said actuating mechanism and said bellows being attachable as a unit to the casing at said opening and all of said parts of the unit being attachable to each other in operative relation before said unit is attached to the casing.

5. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said flexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, the inner end of said internally disposed part of the actuating means having a portion facing toward a second part of the casing, said last mentioned part of the casing having an opening therein for the insertion of said casing-enclosed mechanism, the said inner end portion of said internally disposed part and said mechanism being automatically operatively connected to each' other upon the insertion of said mechanism into the casing through said last mentioned opening.

6. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally `of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection With said casingand with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said fiexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said' internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, said part of the casing carrying said actuating mechanism and said bellows being attachable as a unit to the casing at said opening and all of said parts of the unit being attachable to each other in operative relation before said unit is attached to the casing, the inner end of said internally disposed part of the actuating means having a portion facing toward a second part of the casing, said last mentioned part of the casing having an opening therein for the insertion of said casing-enclosed mechanism, the said inner end portion of said internally disposed part and said mechanism being automatically operatively connected to each other upon the insertion of said mechanism into the casing through said last mentioned opening.

7. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between' said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means hav-' ing a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said' internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said flexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interiorof the casing through said opening, the inner end of said internally disposed part of the actuating means having a portion facing toward a second part of the casing, said last mentioned part of the casing having an opening therein for the insertion of said casing-enclosed mechanism, the said inner end portion of said internally disposed part and said mechanism being automatically operatively connected to each other upon the insertion of said mechanism into the casing through said last mentioned opening, and a closure for said last mentioned opening, said closure also providing a support for said mechanism and serving to position the latter in said casing when said closure is secured thereto at said last mentioned opening.

8, In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said flexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, the inner end of said internally disposed part of the actuating means having a portion facing toward a second part of the casing, said last mentioned part of the casing having an opening therein for the insertion of said casing-enclosed mechanism, the said inner end portion of said internally disposed part and said mechanism being automatically operatively connected to each other upon the insertion of said mechanism into the casing through said last mentioned opening, and a closure for said last mentioned opening, said closure also providing a support for said mechanism and serving to position the `latter in said casing when said closure is secured thereto at said last mentioned opening, said mechanism comprising an electric device and said closure being provided with insulated electric terminals passing therethrough in fluid-tight relation with said closure.

9. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising fiexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said fiexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, said part of the casing being of r'educed width and externally threaded for securing the casing to a support.

lO. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising fiexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and With said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventtng the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said flexibly movable .means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows and said internally disposed' part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, said part of the casing carrying said actuating mechanism and said bellows being attachable as a unit to the casing at said opening and all of said parts of the unit being attachable to each other in operative relation before said unit is attached to the casing, said part of the casing being of reduced width and externally threaded for securing the casing to a support.

11. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said flexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, said internally and externally disposed parts of said actuating means having relative movable portions pivotally connected to each other, said casing having an opening and said part of the casing being positioned at said opening, said bellows. and said internally disposed part of said actuating means projecting into the interior of the casing through said opening, the inner end of said internally disposed part of the actuating means having a portion facing toward a second part of the casing, said last mentioned part of the casing having an opening therein for the insertion of said casing-enclosed mechanism, the said inner end portion of said internally disposed part and said mechanism being automatically operatively connected to each other upon the insertion of said mechanism into the casing through said last mentioned opening, and a closure for said last mentioned opening, said closure also providing a support for said mechanism and serving to position the latter in said casing when said closure is secured thereto at said last mentioned opening, said mechanism comprising an electric device and said closure being provided with insulated electric terminals passing therethrough in fluid-tight relation with said closure, said part of the casing being of reduced width and externally threaded for securing the casing to a support.

12. In a casing-enclosed mechanism provided with means having a part disposed externally of the casing and a part disposed internally of the casing for actuating said mechanism, means providing a fluid-tight seal between said casing, and said internally disposed part of said actuating means and comprising flexibly movable means having a fluid-tight connection with said casing and with said internally disposed part of said actuating means for preventing the passage of fluid into or out of the casing in the region of said actuating means, said flexibly movable means comprising bellows means secured to a part of the casing and 10 to said internally disposed part of said actuating means, and externally threaded for securing the casing to a said internally and externally disposed parts of said actu- SllppOrtating means having relatively movable portions pivotally connected to each other, and means for supporting said References Cited in the file of this Patent actuating means and bellows as a unit on said casing UNITED STATES PATENTS comprisng a bracket secured to said part of said casing 5 1,916517 De Giers July 4, 1933 and provided with spaced portions on which said parts 2,419,180 Unger API- 15, 1947 of the actuating mechanism are pivotally mounted, re- 2,527,475 Bates Oct 24, 1950 spectvely, said part of the casing being of reduced width 2,644,061 Dietrich June 30, 1953 

